The Red Muffler
by thebeccac
Summary: EreMika oneshot that takes place the night she's taken in by the Jaeger household. Rated for part of the murder scene. Please review!


"Dr. Jäeger...", the raven haired girl, otherwise known as Mikasa, began, "Where do I go from here? I'm cold... I don't... have a home anymore", she spoke, softly. She tugged at the jacket that was thrown over her, relishing whatever comfort or warmth she could acquire.

On that day, Mikasa Ackerman, of Oriental blood, lost her parents due to some malicious human-traffickers at her doorstep. At the time, she happened to be doing some traditional sewing that was in her heritage. The three were awaiting a visit from Dr. Jäeger. Eren was to be tagging along, as a chance to have a friend, bar Armin.

_The three men first killed her father when he answered the door awaiting their visitors. Out of panic, her mother rose from the kitchen table, grabbing hold of a scissors and charged at the three animals._

_Her mother told her to run. But she didn't. She glanced at her dad's dead body that sat slumped up against the wall in a pool of dark red blood._

_"Dad?", she questioned at the time. 'Get up', she wanted to say._

_Her mother continued to fight, insisting on Mikasa to flee. But she didn't. Eventually the man's patience reached its limit and struck her across the head with an ax._

_Shortly after that, she was out cold on the wooden floorboards listening to the men talk business. Her head hurt, there was a speck of blood that stained her lower left cheek. It was cold. She was cold. The frigid air attacked her now weak body, as she laid helplessly, almost lifelessly on the ground. She couldn't feel her hands; they were tied up with a thick rope and was cutting off the circulation. It could have been worse than what it felt._

_"It's cold", she says to herself, over and over._

_The door creaked; someone had been watching the two men._

_"Excuse me!", said a young boy's voice. Oh, the innocence._

_"You goddamn brat! What are you doing here!?", one of the older men shouted, as he threw the door open to take in his features. The young boy looked rather distressed himself as his eyes were slightly puffy. He had radiant, teal green eyes that glimmered from the little amount of light that shone through window. He had relatively thick brown hair. He looked around the age of nine; same as Mikasa._

_'Help me' she said to herself._

_"I just... I got lost in the forest... Then I saw your hut", he whimpered. The older man's expression softened and asked his friend on what to do. An 'away with him' hand gesture was his response, as if he was swatting flies that hovered in the proximity._

_"That won't do", the man said. "Kids shouldn't be walking alone in the forest", playfully patting the young boy's head. "There are scary wolves out there! Don't worry, my friend and I will take good care of-"_

_*Squelch*_

_The young brunette had been carrying a dagger with him, as he shoved the weapon deep into the man's chest. "Thanks, mister. I get it. So die already, you worthless shitrag!", he hissed spitefully. Blood immediately began to spill and the young boy; how about we call him Eren, Eren, carelessly threw him to the side._

The rest was too painful to remember... An area innocence had been stripped of her. The innocence in saying that she was now a murderer. Yes, it was for self defense, and it was either kill or be killed, but a kill is a kill, and she didn't like the very thought.

Eren sympathized with her. He wouldn't know what to do if he were in her shoes. He and his dad both had the same idea in mind. Eren undid the maroon scarf that wrapped around his neck and walked up to the shaken girl.

Her ebony eyes were as dull as dull could be; the only life in her face came from the fire, but not even that would warm her. As he held the scarf in his hand one last time, he effortlessly threw it around her neck. Her eyes widened as she felt something knew within her. Comfort. Or security. Just by the red muffler alone, she already felt safer. Her face lit up upon realizing it was her savior who was keeping her warm, Eren Jäeger.

"You can have this", he said softly. His teal green orbs met her raven ones. Compassion was written all over his face, from his somewhat droopy eyelids to his furrowed brows. "It's warm, isn't it?"

Mikasa brushed her fingers against the cotton article and huffed an exasperated sigh. "It's warm"

Grisha approached the young girl as he presented his idea. "Mikasa. You can make your home with us. You've experienced too much pain. You need to rest"

She was hesitant, too so to speak. It's not that she didn't want to, but she couldn't. But Eren wasn't going to accept that as an excuse. "Come on, let's go home", he stated, taking her hand out of the overly long sleeves motioning her to come along, not that she had the choice. He looked back at her to make himself clearer, "To our home"

Mikasa's eyes began to water. Out of nowhere, he comes and saves her from having her dignity stripped of her and the very same person is offering her to live with them. Well, it was Grisha who offered.

She would forever be in his debt. Forever. It was _her_ turn to protect _him_. Even if it annoyed him, she would eternally have his back. As her eyes spilled tears, she momentarily nuzzled her nose against the red fibers. "Okay. Let's go home", she sobbed.

**0o0o0o0o**

Words definitely weren't appropriate in transit to the Jäeger household. Carla anxiously awaited her men's return. As she stared outside the small window in the kitchen, shutters open, she heard a knock on the door.

She scurried over to the entrance of the family home and twisted the door handle.

"Grisha, and Eren.. and...?"

Grisha stepped in first after wiping his shoes, repeated by Eren and Mikasa and he pecked his wife's forehead. "I'll explain everything in a few seconds. This is Mikasa Ackerman, my clients' daughter and I let her stay with us, which I'll explain in a bit"

Once Carla received word as to what was going on and what she had missed out on, she was immediately hospitable to their new family member. Eren and Carla showed Mikasa around the house, and Carla ordered Eren to make up a sleeping plan for the two. Carla wanted to talk to Mikasa alone for a bit.

"Don't worry, Eren will be nice, and if he isn't you let me know", she told her, with a comforting smile. Carla ushered her towards a cupboard in the kitchen. "You'll be safe here, I can promise you that much", her eyes averted to her rummaging. "Ah, here it is. Take off that jacket of yours"

Mikasa slipped from the over sized jacket and Carla took it from her grasp and handed her a new cardigan that she had been sewing. "Th-thank you", she mumbled.

"Anytime. And if you need anything, just let me, Grisha or Eren know. I'd be heading to bed now if I were you. You must be very tired, and Eren has to be finished by now"

**0o0o0o0o**

That night, Mikasa thrashed around in her sleep, as expected. Her jet black hair sprawled across her pillow as images of today's event flashed through her mind. She jolted awake abruptly, inhaling sharply as if it were her last. Her heart pounded mercilessly in her chest like a jackhammer. Her body caked with perspiration. It was like a never-ending nightmare. Eren had been watching the entire time. He had gotten up a few minutes into the nightmare and sat at her bedside. Mikasa looked at the young boy rather precariously.

"Are you alright?", he asked her. His fingers subconsciously began to twirl with the fabrics of her scarf.

"I-I... Er..."

Eren corked a brow and stood up. He pulled the covers of her bed sheets back after walking towards the bedside locker and retrieved a glass of water that he always took to bed. "Here", he gestured, motioning her to take a drink. She downed the water in a few seconds, which he wasn't expecting, but anyway. He walked back to her taking a hold of the bedspread. "Scoot over; I'm sleeping with you"

"Y-You don't have to-"

"Shut up, you moron, you were having a nightmare", he stated in a tired and groggy voice whilst rubbing his eyelids. He pulled the covers over the two. "Are you okay?", he asked. She shrugged. "I understand. But you're safe now, with us. Your _new_ family", he said softly, with a comforting smile tugging at his lips.

Mikasa's breath hitched on her throat and her heart fluttered for a few seconds at his kind words. "But I-I... I can't do that, I-I-"

"I swear to God, Mikasa. You're part of this family and you're going to live with us we're going to protect you. That is final. Now, something is telling me to give you a hug, but I'm not too-", he rambled, but was interrupted by Mikasa's arms wrapping around him, "-sure". He sighed contently at her acceptance, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Goodnight, Mikasa, it'll be okay"


End file.
